Metallic coating apparatus



March 27, 1934. N, LAN 1,952,760

METALLIC COATING APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1929 Patented Mar. 27, 1934UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

vention to devise an apparatus in which the coating is sprayed on to thereflectors in such manner as to insure the uniform degree of coatingover the entire surface of the reflector and at the same time to applythe coating at such a rate of speedthat there is afforded suflicienttime for the drying of the same during its application.

A further object is to devise such a means in which there is eliminatedthe necessity of a mechanical or electrical motive means for bringingthe series of reflectors into position to receive the coating.

Another object consists in devising such a system whereby the excesscoating material may be recovered and employed over and over again withpractically no loss during the entire process.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description and claimswhen considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view; and Fig. 2 is an elevation of my improveddevice.

The present invention as herein disclosed is illustrated as beingemployed in the application of a silver nitrate solution to the outersurface of glass reflectors which are successively moved into positionwith regards to the spraying means so as to receive the coatingthereupon. It is to be understood, however, that this same invention maybe employed for the purpose of applying various metallic coatingcompositions to other articles as well as reflectors, and for applyingany kind of coating composition.

Upon the upper end of the standard 1, there is rotatably mounted thewheel 2 which is adapted to move in a horizontal plane and which hasdepending therefrom any number of holders comprising the spring fingers3 and the swivel connections 4 which permit the fingers to be set at anydesired angle according to the proper position for the reflectors duringthe coating operation. The spring fingers tend to open but may be closedsufiiciently for insertion into the neck portion of the reflector andthen released so as CJ to engage the inner surface thereof, as a meansIt is therefore the object of the present in ment of any other motivemeans.

of suspending the reflector therefrom. Any other suitable form ofsupporting attachment may be employed although the particular formherein disclosed is well adapted for the purpose intended.

The spray nozzles 5 from which the solution is directed on to the outersurface of the reflector, as illustrated in the drawing, are arranged ina substantially horizontal manner and bear 5 such relation with respectto the reflectors and their rotary support that the force of the spraysfrom the nozzles will cause the reflectors to be rotated forwardly whileat the same time, the particular arrangement of the spray nozzles 5 willcause the entire outer surface of the reflector to be covered with thecoating material. Thus, the force of the spray of the coating materialwhen directed in the particular manner herein disclosed is suflicient tocause progressive movement of the succession of reflectors, and hencethere is effected rotation of the support 2 from which they aresuspended, without the employ- The coating solution is forced by meansof the rotary pump 6 from the container '7 through the connecting tube 8to the nozzles 5, these parts being supported in any suitable manner.After the coating material is applied in spray form to the outer surfaceof the reflector, there will be a certain excess portion which will dripfrom the reflector. The coating material which drips from the reflectorduring its travel over the first half of the circular path, is desirableto be recovered, but that which drips from the reflector during thesecond half of its circuit, is deteriorated and hence not desirable tobe recovered. The desirable portion will drip on to the drip pan 9arranged therebeneath. This drip pan is inclined in the proper mannerand to a sufficient extent to permit the excess coating materialreceived in the pan to drain through the opening 10 provided in the onecorner thereof and to be received in the container 7. Thus, there isafforded a means of recovering the excess coating material which may beagain employed in the spraying operation. The undesirable excessmaterial is permitted to drip on to the pan 9 which may have a wastedrain opening. Pan sections 9 and 9 are separated by a partition 9.

In carrying out the operation of the abovedescribed device, the glassreflectors, after being thoroughly cleansed are supported from theholder members which are adjusted at the proper angular position so thatthe lower mouth edge portion of the reflector will be substantiallyhorizontal. In this way, the coating material will be applied uniformlyas it is sprayed from the nozzles 5 which, as above stated, are arrangedso as to direct the coating material over the en= tire-outer surface ofthe reflector. Then, with the coating material in the container 7 andupon starting the pump 6, the spray will be applied to the reflectors asthey are successively moved into proper position with respect to thenozzles 5. Upon manually starting rotation of the support 2 at thebeginning of the operation, the force of the spray is sufiicient tocause proper rotation of the reflectors at the proper speed after theoperation has once begun. The coating material will gradually anduniformly become precipitated upon the reflector as it is being appliedand the rotary support 2 is operated at such a speed as to permit suchprecipitation while maintaining the proper degree of moisture of thecoating material upon the reflector. Thus, when the proper degree orcoating has been applied, the reflectors are ready to be removed fromthe support shortly after completion of the spraying operation.

As a'result of the present invention, it is possible to coat thereflectors in a thorough and uniform manner and it is possible for thecoating to be produced upon the reflector in a progressive manner duringthe application of the coating material. Furthermore, there is avoid= edthe necessity of a motive means for rotating the support from which thereflectors are suspended. Also, there is effected a further saving inthe cost of material by the recovery of the excess material which may beused again. This particular device means a decided speeding up in thecoating of reflectors and also a decided saving in the cost as well asan improvement in the finished product.

What I claim is:

i. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, means for mounting objects uponsaid support, said means permitting of angular adjust ment with respectto the vertical axis, and means for spraying a coating'material at onetime about the entire body of each of the objects and for rotating saidsupport.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, means for mounting objects uponsaid support, spray means arranged with respect to the path of travel ofsaid objects so as to cause rotation of said support co-incident withthe spraying of the objects, and means for supplying coating material tosaid spray means.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, said support being free ofmechanical driving connections, means for mounting objects upon saidsupport, and a single means for simultaneously applying coating materialat one time to the entire surface of the objects in succession andcausing rotation of said support.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, said support being free ofmechanical driving connections, means for mounting nosaroo objects uponsaid support, and a spray means for simultaneously applying coatingmaterial at one time about the entire body of the objects in successionand causing rotation of said support.

5. In a device of the class described, the combi nation of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, universally adjustable meanscarried by said support and having spring fingers for releasablyengaging only the inner surface of a globular object, whereby theobjects may be set and maintained in fixed position upon said sup-=-port during the coating operation, a single means for simultaneouslyapplying coating material to the objects and causing rotation of saidsupport, a container for the coating material, a drain means whereby theexcess coating material may be recovered and returned to said container,said single means including a pump for causing application of thecoating material from the container to the objects, said rotatablesupport being otherwise free of operating means therefor, and theobjects being free of rotative movement about their own axis during thecoating operation.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, universally adjustable meanscarried by said support and having spring fingers for releasablyengaging only the inner surface of a globular object, whereby the objectmay be set and maintained in fixed position upon said support during thecoating operation. a single means for simultaneously applying coatingmaterial to the object and causing rotation of said support, a containerfor the coating material, a drain means whereby the excess coatingmaterial may be recovered and returned to said container, said singlemeans including a pump and spray means for application of the coatingmaterial from the container to the object, said spray means being soarranged with respect to the path of movement of the rotatable supportas to cause rotative movement thereof and to effect also uniformapplication of the coating material over the entire surface of theobject, said rotatable support being otherwise free of operating meanstherefor, and the objects being free of rotative movement about theirown axes during the coating operation.

7. In a device or" the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport mounted upon a vertical axis, universally adjustable meanscarried by said support and having spring fingers for releasablyengaging only the inner surface of a globular object, whereby theobjects may be set and maintained in fixed position upon said supportduring the coating operation, and a single means for simultaneouslyapplying coating material to the objects and causing rotation of saidsupport.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablesupport, adjustable means carried by said support and having -yieldablemeans for releasably engaging only the inner surface of a globularobject, whereby the objects may be set and maintained in fixed positionupon said support during the coating operation, and a single means forsimultaneously applying-coating material at one time entirely to theoutside of the objects in succession and causing rotation of saidsupport.

NIELS LANG.

